Information reading apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a bar-code reading apparatus, an enclosure is provided with various mechanisms, includes a hand-holding portion and a reading portion having a reading window. Projections are provided at two sides of the enclosure, and a cable extends out from one of the projections. The projections engage with supporting-point cut-out portions of supporting portions in a stand, in a stationary condition. The reading window is therefore located lower than the hand-holding portion.

This application is a divisional application filed under 37 CFR §1.53(b)of parent application Ser. No. 09/625,314, filed Jul. 25, 2000 now U.S.Pat. No. 6,357,704, now allowed, which in turn is a divisional ofapplication Ser. No. 09/375,392, filed Aug. 17,1999, now U.S. Pat. No.6,129,281, which in turn is a divisional of application Ser. No.08/758,826, filed Dec. 4, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,747.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information reading apparatus, and,in particular, to an information reading apparatus for readinginformation such as a bar code provided on a label.

Recently, the number and type of goods having bar code labels providedthereon have significantly increased. The bar codes are used for goodsclassification, selection, pricing and accounting when goods are sold,and so forth, and are typically read by optical reading devices such asa portable type, a stationary type, and a combinationportable/stationary type. For combination portable/stationary typereaders, it is necessary that the readers have configurations which caneasily be held in the hand of a user, and effectively used in astationary condition.

2. Description of the Related Art

Bar-code reading apparatuses for reading bar codes include contact typeand non-contact type. Non-contact type bar-code reading apparatuses aretypically of the laser type. Laser type bar-code reading apparatusesemit laser scanning light to bar codes, and then detect light reflectedby the bar codes and thus read the bar codes. Laser type bar-codereading apparatuses can be portable, stationary, and combinationportable/stationary type. Combination portable/stationary type will bediscussed below.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a prior art combinationportable/stationary scanner in a stationary condition. This hand scanner11 includes a hand-holding portion 12 and a reading portion 13. A cable14 extends from the rear end of the hand-holding portion 12 and isconnected to a point-of-sale (POS) system (not shown, but which couldinclude cash registers, computers, terminals, etc.). Within thehand-holding portion 12 and reading portion 13, a reflected-lightdetecting mechanism is provided. Laser light emitted by a laser diode isprovided to scanning means such as a polygon mirror, and the scanningmeans causes the laser light to scan in a plurality of directions, andthus the laser light is externally emitted through a reading window ofthe reading portion 13 as scanning light 15.

When scanning light 15 is incident on a bar code, the light is reflectedby the bar code, passes through the reading window of the readingportion 13, and is incident on a photodiode in the reading portion 13.The light incident on the photodiode is converted into an electricsignal therethrough. This electric signal based upon the bar code isprocessed by a CPU and then is supplied to the above-mentioned POSsystem. The bar code has an alternating arrangement of bar portions andspace portions, which arrangement is standardized by UPC (UniversalProduct Code), EAN (European Article Code), JAN (Japan Article Number(code)) or a similar code protocol.

In situations where the hand scanner 11 is used in a stationarycondition, a stand 16 is used. In the stand 16, a supporting portion 18is vertically fixed on a reading table 17. A placement portion 19 isformed on the top of the supporting portion 18, and the hand-holdingportion 12 of the hand scanner 11 is placed on the placement portion 19.An operator faces the stand 16. When the hand scanner 11 is placed onthe stand as shown in FIG. 9, the laser scanning light is emitted towardthe reading table 17 from the reading window of the reading portion 13.

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrates situations in which the hand scanner 11 isused. FIG. 10A illustrates a case in which the hand scanner 11 is usedin a condition in which the hand scanner 11 is placed on the stand 16.In this case, as shown in the figure, the laser scanning light 15 isemitted in a direction to the side of an operator 20 from the readingportion 13 of the hand scanner 11. The operator 20 holds a label 21, oran article having the label 21 provided thereon, on which a bar code 21a is provided, and causes the label 21 to block the laser scanning light15 in a condition where the surface of the label 21 having the bar code21 a provided thereon faces the reading portion 13. Thereby, the barcode 21 a reflects the laser scanning light 15, the reflected light isincident into the reading portion 13, and thus the reflected light isused in the reading portion 13 to read the bar code 21 a.

FIG. 10B illustrates a situation where the operator 20 holds the handscanner 11 by his or her hand. In this situation, the operator 20 holdsthe hand-holding portion 12, aims the reading window of the readingportion 13 at the bar code 21 a portion of the label (article) 21, andcauses the reading portion to emit the laser scanning light.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate a hand scanner having another configurationin the prior art. Hand scanner 22 is a stationary one. The hand scanner22 has a box-shaped enclosure 22 a and can be simply set on a readingtable 23 by itself without needing a stand such as the abovementionedstand 16. Further, the hand scanner 22 has a width which is set to besmall enough that operator 20 can hold it by his or her single hand. Asshown in FIG. 11B, the hand scanner 22 has a reading window 22 b at oneside wall thereof. Laser scanning light 24 is emitted in a direction ofthat side, as shown in FIG. 11B, through the reading window 22 b. Whenusing the hand scanner 22, as shown in FIG. 11A, the operator 20positions the bar code 21 a portion of the label or article 21 at aposition such that the laser scanning light 24 emitted by the scanner 22which is set on the reading table 23 is incident on the bar code 21 aportion. The bar code 21 a can therefore be read.

FIG. 11B illustrates a situation where the enclosure 22 a of scanner 22is held by the operator 20 in a state in which the reading window 22 bfaces externally. In this case, the laser scanning light 24 emitted fromthe reading window 22 b is caused to be incident on the bar code 21 aportion of the label or article 21. The bar code 21 a is thereby read.

Referring to the configuration shown in FIG. 10A, when the hand scanner11 is used in a stationary condition, the reading window of the readingportion 13 is positioned in the direction of the operator 20, while thehand-holding portion 12 is positioned at a position farther from theoperator 20. In a situation where the operator 20 then desires to holdthe hand-holding portion 12 by hand to use the hand scanner 11 in ahand-held condition such as that shown in FIG. 10B, the operator 20 mustpass the hand scanner 11 from one hand to the other in order to changethe orientation of the hand scanner 11. Thereby, the operator 20 can usethe hand scanner 11 in the situation shown in FIG. 10B. In fact, asshown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the orientations of the hand scanner 11 arereverse to one another with respect to the spatial relationship with theoperator 20. Otherwise, the operator 20 needs to extend his or her handto the back side of the hand scanner 11 and directly hold thehand-holding portion 12 so as to change the orientation of the handscanner 11. A similar difficulty occurs with scanner 22 shown in FIGS.11A and 11B. When using the scanner 22 in the hand-held condition afterusing the same in the stationary condition, the operator 20 either needsto pass the scanner 22 from one hand to the other or needs to extendshis or her hand to the back side of the scanner 22, hold it directly,and thereby change the orientation of the scanner 22. Due to theseconfigurations, the hand scanners 11 and 22 in the prior art aretroublesome when used as hand held scanners. Further, the cable 14extending from the rear end of the hand-holding portion 12 is alsotroublesome when the operator 20 holds the hand-holding portion 12,because the cable 14 prevents the operator 20 from freely holding thehand-holding portion 12 and also from freely moving the hand scanner 11.

The present invention has been developed in view of these problems, andan object of the present invention is to provide an information readingapparatus which has improved features such that an operator can easilyhandle the apparatus, without encountering difficulties in handlingcaused by the cable or by the relationship of the stationary readingposition and the handheld position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes an information reading apparatus whereinthe enclosure is provided with a mechanism for reading the optical markhaving a reading window formed thereon. The window is shaped so that itis located lower than a portion to be held by hand in the stationarycondition. Thereby, when the stationary condition is transferred intothe hand-held condition from the stationary condition, the operatormerely needs to hold the portion to be held by hand from the upper side.Therefore, the ease of handling the apparatus in the hand-held conditionis improved.

The portion to be held by hand can be provided as the hand-holdingportion separate from the reading window, and the hand-holding portioncan be formed to have the curved surface or to be bent toward theoperator. Thereby, the operator can easily hold the hand-holding portionby hand, without switching hands and without uncomfortably reachingaround to the back of the scanner.

In another embodiment of the invention, a wiring means or cable extendsout from the side portion of the enclosure so that the operator canhold. the enclosure. Further, the wiring means extends out from thesupporting center of the enclosure so that the axis of the wiring meansis coincident with the supporting center of the enclosure at the cableextending origin point. Therefore, as the enclosure is rotated about thesupporting center, the cable merely turns about its axis accordingly butmay not swing at the cable extending origin point. Further, a supportingmember having a maintaining portion is provided to the enclosurerotatably. The maintaining portion maintains the wiring means in aparticular position. Thereby the wiring means can be prevented fromobstructing the operator from holding the enclosure, which acts toimprove the ease of handing of the apparatus.

In further embodiments of the invention, projections are formed at thetwo sides of the enclosure on the side of the center of gravity of theapparatus upon which the hand held portion is disposed. The projectionsrotatably engage with the stand. Thereby, the reading window is alwayslocated lower than the portion to be held by hand in the stationarycondition, which improves ease of handling of the apparatus.

One projection of the projections engaging with the stand can berotatably provided with the supporting member and also can be fixed tothe enclosure, or the supporting member can be fixed to the projectionand also the projection can be rotatably provided to the enclosure.Further, for example, a corresponding engagement portion is provided onthe projection for engaging with an engagement portion of the stand.Thereby, the wiring means can be maintained in a particular position andthe maintaining position can be rotated with respect to the stand, orthe stationary condition angle of the enclosure can be changed and alsothe maintaining position can be changed, individually. Thisconfiguration also improves the ease of handling of the device.

A further embodiment of the invention is one where a positioning memberis provided to the stand, and the enclosure can be rotatably positioned.It is possible to surely perform the optical mark reading in thestationary condition. Indication portions are provided in yet anotherembodiment, in the enclosure at the positions visible in the stationarycondition and hand-held condition. These indication portions indicatethe optical mark reading. Thereby, the reading can be positivelyperformed.

The reading window and the center of gravity can be configured to be inthe same side of the enclosure with respect to the supporting center sothat, when an operator stops holding the enclosure, the enclosureautomatically turns, by the force of gravity, into an orientation inwhich the reading window is located below the supporting center. Byproviding the reading window so that the window surface thereof extendsapproximately vertically when the reading window is located below thesupporting center, the reading window can then face a label to be read,when the label is held toward the side of the enclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B show perspective views of an arrangement of a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an internal block diagram of an apparatus shown in FIGS. 1Aand 1B;

FIG. 3 illustrates a special relationship between the center of gravityand a stand engagement position of the bar-code reading apparatus asshown in FIG. 1A;

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate use conditions of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1Aand 1B;

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a side elevational view of a second embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 6A and 6B show perspective views of an arrangement of a thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show an arrangement of a variant embodiment of the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a side elevational sectional view of a fourth embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a hand scanner in the prior art in astationary condition;

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate a use condition of the FIG. 9 arrangement;and

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate another hand scanner of the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1A and 1B show perspective views of an information readingapparatus in a first embodiment of the present invention. Theinformation reading apparatus includes a bar-code reading apparatus orhand scanner 32 and a stand 33, as shown in FIG. 1A. The bar-codereading apparatus 32 reads bar codes in a non-contact condition, inwhich the apparatus 32 does not come into contact with bar-code labels.The bar-code reading apparatus 32 is capable of being used as astationary device and as a hand-held device. Thus, the bar-code readingapparatus 32 can be used for reading bar codes in a stationary conditionin which the bar-code reading apparatus 32 is placed on the stand 33 asshown in FIG. 1A. The bar-code reading apparatus 32 can also be used forreading bar codes in a hand-held condition in which, as shown in FIG.1B, an operator has removed apparatus 32 from a stand 33 and then holdsbar-code reading apparatus 32 in the operators hand.

In FIGS. 1A and 1B, in the bar-code reading apparatus 32, a mechanism(which will be described later) for reading optical marks is providedinside an enclosure 34. The bar-code reading apparatus 32 includes ahand-holding portion or handle 35, and a reading portion 36. A readingwindow 37 is formed in one side of the reading portion 36. A lightpattern, shown in FIG. 1B, emitted from the reading window 37, is ascanning light pattern for reading bar codes. The hand-holding portion35 is formed of a curved-surface portion 35 a shaped like an arc at itsprojecting end in a side opposite to the side of the reading portion 36.Furthermore, depressions 38 a and 38 b are formed in the hand-holdingportion 35, to make it easy and comfortable to hold by hand, on twoopposite sides in a boundary portion between the hand-holding portion 35and reading portion 36.

An LED indication portion 39 a is provided at a ramp surface 36 abetween the reading portion 36 and hand-holding portion 35. This LEDindication portion 39 a is provided on the same side of the enclosure 34on which side the reading window 37 is provided, as shown in FIGS. 1Aand 1B. Thereby, this LED indication portion 39 a can be viewed by anoperator when the apparatus is in the stationary condition. Further,another LED indication portion 39 b is formed on a side opposite to theside of the reading window 37 and performs an indication the same as anindication of the LED indication portion 39 a. This LED indicationportion 39 b is provided on the rear side of the enclosure 34 so thatthis LED indication portion 39 b can be viewed by an operator when theapparatus is in the hand-held condition. Further, projections 40 a and40 b are integrally formed on two opposite ends of the enclosure 34. Acable 41 acting as electric wiring means is drawn out from theprojection 40 a.

In the stand 33, two supporting portions 43 a, 43 b are integrallyformed to stand at two opposite sides of a reading table 42,respectively. A distance between the two supporting portions 43 a, 43 bis approximately the same as the width of the enclosure 34 of thebar-code reading apparatus 32. Supporting-point cut-out portions 44 aand 44 b are formed at the tops of the supporting portions 43 a and 43b, respectively. The projections 40 a and 40 b of the bar-code readingapparatus 32 are engage the supporting-point cut-out portions 44 a and44 b when the apparatus 32 is placed on the supporting portions 43 a and43 b. Thereby the bar-code reading apparatus 32 is rotatably supportedon the stand 33. The projections are positioned with respect to thecenter of gravity of apparatus 32 such that the reading window willpivot downward into a stationary reading position.

A projecting stopper 45 acting as a positioning member is formed betweenthe supporting portions 43 a and 43 b of the stand 33, and effectivelypositions the rotating bar-code reading apparatus 32 (enclosure 34).Thereby, the position of the reading window 37 is set to be in thestationary reading position.

FIG. 2 shows an internal block diagram of the bar-code reading apparatus32. As shown the figure, in the bar-code reading apparatus 32, power issupplied from an external power source to a power supply unit 52 via aplug cable 51. The power supply unit 52 converts the supplied AC powerinto DC power and supplies the converted power to a laser light source53, a motor 54, and a decoder 55. The laser light source 53 is providedwith a laser diode which emits laser light to an optical unit 56 whichincludes, for example, a polygon mirror.

The polygon mirror 56 is revolved by the motor 54, and thus reflects theincident laser light in a plurality of scanning directions. Thereflected laser light is thus emitted to a label 46 having bar code 46 athereupon, via the reading window 37.

Light reflected by the bar code 46 a is received by the light receptionunit 57 which converts the received light into an electric signal. Theelectric signal, as bar-code data, is transmitted to the decoder 55. Thedecoder 55 demodulates the bar-code data. When the demodulation isfinished, the decoder 55 causes a speaker 58 to generate a finish soundand also causes the LED indication portions 39 a and 39 b to light andthus informs an operator of the completion of the demodulation. Further,the decoder 55 transmits the demodulated signal to an external POS(Point of Sale) system via an interface circuit 59.

The cable 41 shown in FIG. 1 includes the plug cable 51 and also anelectric wiring for transmitting the demodulated signal to the POSsystem.

FIG. 3 shows a spatial relationship between the center of gravity of thebar-code reading apparatus 32 and a stand engagement position. FIG. 3shows an approximate side elevational view of the bar-code readingapparatus 32. In a case where the center of gravity G of the apparatus32 is located at approximately the center of the reading portion 36, theprojections 40 a and 40 b are located to the side of the hand-holdingportion 35 nearer than the center of gravity G. The projections 40 a and40 b engage with the supporting-point cut-out portions 44 a and 44 b ofthe supporting portions 43 a and 43 b of the stand 33, respectively.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a straight line Lv is a normal of an endsurface 36 b of the reading portion 36, which surface is perpendicularto the longitudinal direction of the enclosure 34. The normal Lv is astraight line intersecting the supporting center Cs of the enclosure 34,about which center the enclosure is rotatable when the apparatus 31 isin the stationary condition and thus the projections 40 a and 40 b areinserted in the supporting-point cut-out portions 44 a and 44 b,respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, the center of gravity G is located inthe side of the normal Lv in the enclosure opposite to the side in whichthe reading window 37 is provided. Thereby, when an operator stopsholding of the hand-held portion 35 of the enclosure 34, due to thegravity being applied to the enclosure 34, the enclosure 34 tends toturn on the supporting portions 43 a, 43 b of the stand 33 into aposition or an orientation in which the reading window 37 facesobliquely upward.

Therefore, in a stationary condition in which the bar-code readingapparatus 32 is rotatably placed upon the stand 33, due to the positionof the center of gravity G, the bar-code reading apparatus 32 rotatesabout the projections 40 a and 40 b because of the force of gravity. Asa result, the reading window 37 of the reading portion 36 is positionedlower than the hand-holding portion 35. At this time, the stopper 45comes into contact with the lower-positioned reading portion 36 and thuspositions the reading portion 36. Thus, the reading window 37 faces theside of the reading table 42 of the stand 33 and is used for identifyinga bar-code of a label positioned over the reading table 42. In thiscase, the reading window 37 is positioned to be oblique to the straightline laying between the projections 40 a, 40 b and center of gravity G.Thereby, when the bar-code reading apparatus 32 is set on the stand 33,light emitted from the reading window 37 is emitted toward the surfaceof the reading table 42. As described above, due to the force of gravityacting upon enclosure 34, the enclosure pivots on the supportingportions 43 a, 43 b of the stand 33 into a position or an orientation inwhich the reading window 37 faces obliquely upward after an operatorreleases the hand-holding portion 35 of the enclosure 34. Then, thestopper 45 prevents the enclosure 34 from further turning after theenclosure has reached the position in which the reading window 37 facesobliquely downward, as shown in FIG. 1A. Thereby, the light then emittedfrom the reading window 37 is directed obliquely downward toward thereading table 42.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate use conditions of the information readingapparatus 32 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In FIG. 4A, in which the bar-codereading apparatus 32 is in the stationary condition on the stand 33, anoperator 60 holds and positions a an article having label 46 providedthereon, on which a bar code 46 a is described, over the reading table42, within the range of a laser scanning light 37 a emitted from thereading window 37. Thereby, reading of the bar code 46 a can beperformed by the bar-code reading apparatus 32. The operator 60 can beinformed of completion of the bar-code reading by hearing the completionsound and also by seeing the reading window 37 side LED indicationportion 39 a of the LED indication portions 39 a and 39 b.

When the bar-code reading apparatus 32 is used in a hand-held condition,as shown in FIG. 4B, the operator 60 manually picks up the upperpositioned hand-holding portion 35 from the stand 33 by directlyrotating and lifting the hand-holding portion 35 from the top. Thus, asa result of the rotation of the enclosure 34, the operator 60 causes thereading window 37 to face outward. In this position of the enclosure 34,it is possible that the apparatus 32 is in a condition where bar-codereading can be performed in the hand-held condition. Thus, as shown inFIG. 4C and FIG. 1B, the operator 60 holds the hand-holding portion 35of the bar-code reading apparatus 32, causes the reading window 37 toapproach the bar code 46, and immediately causes the apparatus 32 toemit the laser scanning light 37 a via the reading window 37 to the barcode 46 a and thus read the bar code 46 a. In this case, the operator 60can be informed of the finish of the bar-code reading by seeing the LEDindication portion 39 b, at the side opposite to the side of the readingwindow 37, of the LED indication portions 39 a and 39 b.

As a result of this configuration, the operator 60 can perform atransferring operation from a stationary condition to a hand-heldcondition without a troublesome hand operation such as passing from onehand to the other. It is therefore possible to achieve easy handling ofthe apparatus in any condition.

Cable 41 extends from the side of the enclosure 34 at a position on asupporting axis about which the enclosure 34 is rotatable on thesupporting portions 43 a, 43 b of the stand 33 in the stationarycondition. The axis of the cable 41 is then coincident with thesupporting center of the enclosure at the cable extending origin point.As a result, when the enclosure is rotated about the supporting centeron the supporting portions 43 a, 43 b of the stand 33, the cable 41merely turns about its axis but does not swing in an arc so as toprevent the operator from easy handling of the apparatus 32, byinterfering with grabbing or lifting of apparatus 32. The cable 41cannot, therefore, prevent easy handling of the apparatus 32 when thehand-holding portion 35 is held by the operator 60. Smooth transfer ofthe apparatus from the stationary condition to the hand-held conditioncan be achieved. Furthermore, because the hand-holding portion 35 hasthe curved-surface portion 35 a at the side opposite to the side of thereading window 37, and because the depressions 38 a and 38 b areprovided, the operator 60 can easily and comfortably hold the apparatus32 by hand.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show side elevational views of a second embodiment ofthe present invention. In the barcode reading apparatus 320 shown inFIG. 5A, the hand-holding portion 350 includes bent surfaces 350 a and350 b which is formed to be bent toward an operator (the side of thereading window 37 and the side of the reading table 42). The arrangementof the second embodiment is otherwise similar to the arrangement of thefirst embodiment described above. As shown in FIG. 5B, when the operator60 holds the barcode reading apparatus 32 and thus transfers it from thestationary condition to the hand-holding condition, the operator 60 caneasily hold the hand-holding portion 350 from the nearer upper position.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show perspective views of an arrangement of a thirdembodiment of the present invention. In the information readingapparatus 32 shown in FIG. 6A, the bar-code reading apparatus 32 isprovided with a supporting member 61 at the projection 40 a portion fromwhich the cable 41 extends. A maintaining portion 62 is formed in thesupporting member 61. The maintaining portion 62 extends outward fromthe enclosure 34 so as to support the cable 41. The arrangement of thethird embodiment is otherwise similar to the arrangement of the firstembodiment. In this case, the supporting member 61 is freely fitted tothe cable 41, and is rotatably attached to the projection 40 a. Theprojection 40 a is fixed to the enclosure 34.

Because the maintaining portion 62 of the supporting member 41 extendsoutward from the enclosure 34 as mentioned above, the cable 41,supported by the maintaining portion 62, extends outward from theenclosure 34 accordingly. In other words, a portion close to theenclosure of the cable is supported by maintaining portion 62 and,thereby, the cable 41 hangs down from the projecting end of themaintaining portion 62 at a position which is not close to the enclosure34. Therefore, when the bar-code reading apparatus 32 is in thestationary condition on the stand 33 as shown in FIG. 6A, the cable 41can be prevented from hanging in front of the reading window 37 so as toobstruct reading of bar code 46 a through the reading window 37, bysupporting the cable 41 outward and away from reading window 37.Similarly, when the apparatus 32 is in the hand-held condition where thereading window 37 faces downward as shown in FIG. 6B, the cable 41 canbe prevented from hanging in front of the reading window 37 so as toobstruct reading of bar code 46 a through the reading window 37. Thus,as shown in FIG. 68, when the operator 60 holds the apparatus 32 in thehand-held condition and reads bar code 46 a, the cable 41 is alsoprevented from hanging in front of the reading window 37. Thus, handlingquality of the apparatus 32 can be improved, and effective reading ofbar code 46 a cab be easily achieved.

In the alternative, it is possible that the projection 40 a is set tothe enclosure 34 rotatably and the supporting member 61 is fixed to theprojection 40 a. In this case, a similar effect can be provided.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a variant embodiment of the above-described thirdembodiment. FIG. 7A shows a partial approximate side elevational view ofthe variant embodiment, and FIG. 7B shows the variant embodiment in thehand-held condition. In the bar-code reading apparatus 32 shown in FIGS.7A and 7B, the projections 400 a and 400 b are fixed to the enclosure34. A plurality of projections 63 are formed on a circumferentialsurface of each of the projections 400 a and 400 b, and each of theprojections 400 a and 400 b is thus shaped like portions of a gear.Fitting portions 64, acting as corresponding engagement portions to befit to those projections 63, are formed in each of the supporting-pointcut-out portions 440 a and 440 b of the supporting portions 43 a and 43b of the stand 33. Thereby, the stopper 45 shown in FIG. 6 can beomitted. Except therefore, the arrangement of the variant embodiment issimilar to the arrangement of the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A and6B. In the variant embodiment, the supporting member 61 is set to theprojection 400 a rotatably.

In the variant embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, when the barcodereading apparatus 32 is in the stationary condition on the stand 33,the. projections 63 of the projections 400 a and 400 b are fitted to thefitting portions 64 of the supporting-point cut-out portions 440 a and440 b of the supporting portions 43 a and 43 b in a state in which theapparatus 32 is positioned at a desired angle with respect to the stand33. Thus, the apparatus 32 is maintained at the desired angle on stand33. Thus, angle adjustment can be easily performed. In this case, thecable 41 is maintained in a position by the supporting member 61.Thereby, when the bar-code reading apparatus 32 is in the stationarycondition on the stand 33, the position of apparatus 32 can be adjustingwithout having cable 41. Furthermore, when the apparatus 32 is in thehand-held condition, the cable 41 is maintained in a position by therotatable supporting member and thus the cable 41 can be prevented fromobstructing light emitted from the reading window 37 and/or lightreflected by a bar code.

FIG. 8 shows a side elevational sectional view of a fourth embodiment ofthe present invention. In the information reading apparatus 32 shown inFIG. 8, an adjustment hole 71 is provided on the reading table 42 of thestand 33 in the proximity of the supporting portions 43 a and 43 b.Further, an internal rear surface of the reading table 42 has adepression and projection portion 72 formed therein. The stopper 45 isformed to have an L-shaped section, and includes a contact portion 73and an engagement portion 74. The contact portion 73 is exposed abovethe reading table 42. The engagement portion 74 is located inside thereading table 42 and has depressions and projections formed therein forbeing fitted to the depression and projection portion 72.

Further, a spring 75 is provided on a bottom plate 42 a of the readingtable 42, and presses the engagement portion 74 of the stopper 45 ontothe depression and projection portion 72 of the internal rear surface ofthe reading table 42. Except therefore, the arrangement of the fourthembodiment is similar to the arrangement of the first embodiment.

By moving the stopper 45 in the range of the adjustment hole 71, anoperator can set the angle of the bar-code reading apparatus 32 (thereading window 37) to a desired angle. In this case, when the positionof the stopper 45 is changed, the operator presses down the stopper 45and causes the engagement between the depression and projection portion72 and the engagement portion 74 to be released. The operator can slidethe stopper 45 to a desired position. Thus, the position of the stopper45 can be changed.

Thus, in the present invention, the enclosure provided with themechanism for reading the optical mark has the reading window formedthereon and is shaped so that the reading window is located lower than aportion to be held by hand in the stationary condition. When theapparatus is lifted by an operator into the handheld condition, theoperator merely needs to grab and lift the portion to be held by handfrom the upper side. Thus, the handling quality can be improved. Thepresent invention is also configured such that the portion to be held byhand is provided as the hand-holding portion separate from the readingwindow, and the hand-holding portion is formed to have the curvedsurface or to be bent towards the operator. Thereby, the operator caneasily hold the hand-holding portion, and thus the handling quality canbe improved.

The cable or wiring means of an embodiment of the invention, asdiscussed above, extends out from the side portion of the enclosure sothat the operator can hold the enclosure. Further, the wiring meansextends out from the supporting center of the enclosure so that, at thecable extending origin point, the axis of the cable is coincident withthe supporting center of the enclosure. Therefore, as the enclosure isrotated about the supporting center, the cable merely turns about itsaxis accordingly but may not swing in an arc at the cable extendingorigin point. Further, the supporting member having the maintainingportion is provided to the enclosure rotatably. The maintaining portionmaintains the wiring means in a preset position in an area adjacent theenclosure of the apparatus. Thereby, the wiring means can be preventedfrom obstructing the operator from holding the enclosure. Thus, thehandling quality of holding can be improved.

The projections of the invention are formed at the two sides of theenclosure on a side of the center of gravity of the enclosure upon whichthe handle is disposed. The projections rotatably engage with the stand.The reading window is therefore always located lower than the portion tobe held by hand in the stationary condition, since gravity will forcethe reading window to rotate downward, and the handle to rotate upward.Thus, the handling quality when holding can be improved.

One projection 40 a or 400 a of the projections (40 a, 40 b, or 400 a,400 b) engaging with the stand 23 can be rotatably provided with thesupporting member 61 and also is fixed to the enclosure 34, or thesupporting member 61 is fixed to the projection 40 a, or 400 a and alsothe projection 40 a or 400 a can be rotatably provided to the enclosure34. Further, for example, a corresponding engagement portion 63 isprovided on the projection 400 a for engaging with an engagement portion64 of the stand 33. Thereby, the wiring means 41 can be maintained in adesired position in the maintaining portion 62 and the maintainingposition in the maintaining portion can be rotated with respect to thestand 33 as the supporting member 61 is rotated with respect to theenclosure 34, or the stationary condition angle of the enclosure 34 canbe changed and also the maintaining position in the maintaining portion62 can be changed, individually. Rotation of supporting member 61 withrespect to enclosure 34 is independent of rotation of enclosure 34 withrespect to stand 33. Thus, the handling quality of the device can beimproved.

The positioning member can also be provided to the stand, and theenclosure can be rotatably positioned. Thereby, it is possible to surelyperform the optical mark reading in the stationary condition.

The indication portions of the invention can be provided, for indicatingthe optical mark reading, in the enclosure at the positions which arevisible to an operator in the stationary condition and hand-heldcondition. Thereby the reading can be surely, easily recognized ineither condition.

The reading window and the center of gravity of an embodiment of theinvention are located in the same side of the enclosure with respect tothe supporting center, as explained above. When an operator stopsholding the enclosure, the enclosure is turned by gravity into anorientation in which the reading window is located below the supportingcenter. By providing the reading window so that the window surfacethereof extends approximately vertically when the reading window islocated below the supporting center, the reading window can then face alabel to be read, with label being held in the side of said enclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hand-held reading apparatus usable in astationary condition in which the reading apparatus is placed on astand, and also, a hand-held condition, said reading apparatus beingconfigured to engage with a pair of supporting members formed on thestand on two opposite sides thereof, comprising: a pair of projectionshaving shapes corresponding to the supporting members of the stand, eachof said projections being provided on a side surface of said readingapparatus; and a reading window provided on another side surface of saidreading apparatus, wherein said reading apparatus engages with saidstand rotatably on a rotation axis about said projections.